“You have outcomes like you are too thin, you’re not growing fast enough… or it could mean that you’re overweight or you have high blood sugar, which leads to diabetes,” she said.

While many countries are on course to meet targets to reduce stunted growth and the number of underweight children, very few are making progress on tackling obesity and associated illnesses such as heart disease.

In fact, the report says, the number of children under five who are overweight is fast approaching the number who are underweight.

Co-chairman Lawrence Haddad said: “We now live in a world where being malnourished is the new normal.

“It is a world that we must all claim as totally unacceptable.”

The report calls for more money and political commitment to address the problem. It says for every $1 (70p) spent on proven nutrition programmes, $16 (£11.25) worth of benefits ensue.